Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Strawberry Tart with Buttermilk Vanilla Pastry Cream


My method of cooking is pretty lax. I will look at the ingredient list and peruse the instructions on a recipe but that's about as far as it goes. I have discovered that baking is different, it is precise and deliberate. There are techniques to master and methods to learn. Home cook or not there is plenty of information out there, ready for anyone to discover.

Baking this tart was a big challenge. I had to re-do the dough twice and then fight with it to get it in the pan. The buttermilk pastry cream was much easier and the strawberries, well that part depends on your imagination. But I did learn something about myself in this process. That reading instructions were all fine and good but I am a more visual person. Next time I will picture the process in my mind or view a u tube video, and that is okay. Until the next time.......

The recipe for the sweet tart dough is adapted from "Around My French Table" by Dorie Greenspan and the buttermilk vanilla pastry cream is adapted from "Pink of Perfection".

Ingredients:

Sweet tart dough:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
9 tablespoons butter (very cold and cut into small pieces)
1 large egg yolk

Buttermilk pastry cream:

1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cup buttermilk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 box strawberries (sliced)

To prepare dough:

Pour flour, confectioners sugar and salt into food processor, pulse just to mix. Add butter, by scattering over flour mixture and pulse until the butter is cut in coarsely. (meaning you will have some flaky and peas sized floury pieces, this is what you want). Lightly beat egg yolk and add to mix a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When yolk is in start pulsing 10 seconds at a time until the dough comes together and food processor makes a different type of noise.



Remove dough and on a lightly floured surface lightly pat together the dough and any extra crumbs and roll into a disk then flatten. Wrap well with plastic wrap or wax paper and chill for a few hours.


In the meantime start on the buttermilk pastry cream;

Combine sugar, flour and salt in a small mixing bowl. Whisk gently to incorporate and break up any clumps, set aside.

*Prepare a large bowl with ice for an ice bath, and have another bowl ready to pour pastry cream in that will fit inside water bath bowl.*

In a small saucepan, combine buttermilk and egg yolk, whisk until combined, then add dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Place pan over medium heat, cook, whisking constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Transfer cream to the smaller bowl and set in ice bath. Stir occasionally to help cool pastry cream faster, about 15 minutes. Place plastic wrap directly on cream to stop a skin from forming, then wrap again; and refrigerate.


To finish, I did the roll out crust, in which you roll the dough between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. The dough was too hard when I first removed from fridge so I gave it a few small whacks with the rolling pin to get started. Roll out dough evenly by turning it frequently and lifting the paper so it does not roll into the dough. Roll until dough is 1/4 inch thick and about 12 inches in diameter. If dough is too soft by this time, keep flattened in paper and put back into the fridge about 20 minutes. Fit dough into buttered tart pan, trim off dough from top of pan, prick crust all over with fork and stick in freezer at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Butter a piece of aluminum foil on one side and push into dough, bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 8 minutes or so depending on how brown you like your crust. Cool completely.

Pour buttermilk pastry cream into tart shell and arrange strawberries on top. Keep chilled.
Cheri Savory Spoon
Cheri Savory Spoon

Mysavoryspoon was first started in 2010 as a way to journal recipes that I had collected from cookbooks, magazines, family and friends. Most everything was savory, using legumes and whole grains. Along the way I discovered a love for baking. Now a couple times a month you might see some type of sweet pie or treat.

44 comments:

  1. This looks like a nice and light dessert for summer! Can't wait till strawberries come into season!

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    1. Thanks, they are going like crazy here, there's only so much time. Appreciate you stopping by.

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  2. Cheri: The tart looks beautiful. I am glad you stuck with it!

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    1. Thanks Dena, at one point is was very questionable.

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  3. Cheri, you've mentioned this cookbook in the past. This dessert: MMMmmmm. I bet this was most appreciated at your house! Looks fab, bet it was delicious...

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    1. Hi Sandra, I believe he knows what to say regardless he!he! but really it turned out really good, there was a point where it was kind of iffy. Ended well.

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  4. Hey Cheri. Your tart looks amazing. I love the buttermilk pastry cream. Pastry is something I love to work with (and eat). Looks like your persistence paid off.

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    1. Hi Jennifer, persistence was the key here, like I said I learned a few things. Thank goodness it ended well. Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. I love your tart! It looks like the perfect springtime dessert. :)

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  6. Gorgeous tart! This would be perfect for a Mothers Day brunch! Tart crusts can be so finicky and sometimes I don't have the patience for it either..

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    1. Hi Bam, let me tell you I almost gave up, but am glad I did not. Thanks!

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  7. This looks beautiful and yummy! I love creamy desserts. I haven't made any tarts. It sounds like they are tricky!

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    1. Hi Shari, they are pretty tricky, but worth it for sure.

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  8. The secret to pastry is cold butter, cold hands and a cold work surface. I love the sound of this tart :)

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    1. Hi Tandy, I had the cold butter, but not the rest, so maybe that was part of the problem, thanks for the tip!

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  9. Yeah...I find myself fighting with pastry dough too sometimes. It seems to act differently every time...Nice tart, pastry cream is the best! Not to mention those good looking strawberries...
    :) ela@GrayApron

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    1. Hi Ela, the pastry cream was easy for me and I could eat it by the spoonful, it's my favorite too!

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  10. How I would love to get invited to your home for dinner, Cheri! You make the loveliest things. This would be the best Mother's Day dessert. :-)

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  11. I definitely find baking to be way more tricky than cooking...it has to be much more precise! But I think your tart turned out fabulously in the end! A fruit tart to be reckoned with, for sure.

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    1. Thanks Joanne, I noticed that you are a fantastic baker, love your cakes!

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  12. These sounds so delicious! I love the idea of buttermilk vanilla pastry cream.

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    1. Hi Natalie, it is a little different not as sweet, but a nice contrast with the strawberries. Thanks!

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  13. I have not been brave enough to make pastry from scratch but find that I have a similar problem when making shortcrust biscuits. The dough comes out too hard to roll when placed in the fridge. I'll try rolling between two sheets, as you have suggested and see how I get on. The tart looks delicious, perfect for summer parties.

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    1. Hi Tina, I also gave the dough a couple of whacks with the rolling pin to get it started. Thanks for stopping by.

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  14. I normally stick to something more forgiving (like cookies or muffins) because baking can be so finicky. But this tart definitely looks worth it -- drooling over those strawberries and the pastry cream!

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    1. Hi Kelly, me too but this time I though how hard can it be....well it's pretty tricky for sure, but in the end it's worth it.

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  15. This looks fantastic, Cheri! And perfect for this tie of year! Love the idea of buttermilk in the pastry cream! ~ David

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    1. Hi David, how was your trip to SF? the buttermilk was a nice twist as it was not as sweet, great with the berries. Thanks!

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  16. I have to try your buttermilk pastry cream. The tart looks beautiful!

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  17. ahhhh.. strawberries always make cakes look so summery and wonderful.

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    1. Hi Della, they sure do don't they, wish the season was not so short.

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  18. Even though you had struggles, it looks like it came out super yummy! I too don't love that baking SO precise, I'm like you in that I just like being creative in the kitchen!

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    1. Hi Phi, yes I agree I have to work hard at being precise. For me it's more natural to just wing it.

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  19. I agree! Baking is hard for me as well due to it's precise nature. I much prefer to throw things in a pot until it looks, tastes and smells right. But you did a great job with this. Looks very pretty!

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    1. Thanks Amy, also I love chopping things, not sure what that says about me.

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  20. It looks so delicious, Cheri, and I admire your persistence and patience. I guess that's why I'm not a baker because I don't seem to enjoy it at all. I'm more of a savory person though so I can't see spending a lot of time on something sweet. This is the exception though because I LOVE berries and this looks fantastic. Could you Fed-Ex me your desserts? lol. Have a great day.

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    1. Hi Robyn, you so sweet to use the word persistence. Thank you! it was good though!

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  21. You made me laugh with I had to fight with it to get it in the pan..:)
    I hate that..happens here too..the tart is lovely!

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    1. Thank you I guess the does sound a little dramatic! Anyway it was delicious!

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  22. One of the desserts we made for our first exam in culinary school was to make a pastry cream. Ai-yi-yi. I thought I had it all under control, but out of fear of curdling it, I didn't cook it long enough to thicken it. Pastry cream soup formed a puddle under the pastry. Sigh. I've never made that particular mistake again.

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  23. That pie sounds delicious, I've just started making pies and pastry can be difficult work. This looks great!

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